What to Expect When You're Expecting
by ZombiesloveMangoes
Summary: What happens when you mix three detectives, one writer, a medical examiner, and a four month old baby? A great fic.
1. Chapter 1

So this is one I thought of during one of my friends AMAZINGLY RANDOM OCD MOMENTS (details later) I hope it works out

Castle hadn't expected to show up at the precinct that day. Having not had a case in awhile had been nice. He had time to work on his book and to catch up on some reading. He walked along the corridor to where Beckett sat and set her coffee down in front of her. She had her cell in hand.

"I was about to call you. We gotta case."

"Perfect I was running a little dry on the imagination department." He took a sip of his coffee and they walked to her service vehicle. Driving up to the crime scene Castle knew for some reason it was different. The atmosphere about it seemed off. They got out of the car and Lanie spotted them then gave Beckett a look. Beckett waved her off with a _tell you later_ hand movement. They made their way to the body and Castle knew it was wrong. They walked up into the older looking house. Not much was too different yet. Until they entered the kitchen and looked at the table. The girl was laid out in nothing but a bra and underwear. She looked as if she just fell asleep, well besides the blood and bruising.

"What happened?" Beckett asked clearly puzzled as well. It wasn't every day that they had a case like this one.

"Well looks like she was going to bed and someone came in to rob the place when she intercepted them and –"

"Ended up getting robbed of her life." Lanie shot him a look.

"- as I was saying, she was shot at point blank at the temple and from the looks of it she tried to fight back. There was a knife or something in her hands and from squeezing so hard," Lanie lifted the girl's fingers slightly. "It left a indentation pattern. I'd say TOD about 8 last night from the color of the bruises."

"That's a new one." Beckett hated to ask this, but the signs were obvious.

"Was she raped?"

"No, I know that's what I thought at first too." Good she wouldn't have to hand this over to SVU. Castle was looking around and stopped in his tracks.

"Did you guys hear that?" They both looked back at him and shook their heads. He waited and pointed a finger up. It took a minute later, but the noise came again. Crying. Castle raced up the flight of stairs and listened again. Beckett was following behind him. He went into one of the rooms and Beckett stopped at the door. It was a nursery. An occupied nursery. No wonder he flew up those stairs. Fatherly instincts kicked in and took over. He looked over what looked like a crib and picked up the crying infant. Beckett, eyes wide held her spot at the door. Then called down to Lanie to come up. Castle was holding the baby in his arms and gently swaying back and forth. He walked over to Beckett and when he looked up she was scared for a second. The look in his eyes was feral. "We have to find this guy." Beckett nodded as Lanie was coming into the room to stop right behind Beckett.

"Why didn't uniforms find him?"

"Her."

"Her sorry."

"She must have been asleep." He looked around and checked the whole square inch of the room. He didn't find what he was looking for. "New mom. No baby monitor." Beckett was looking at the infant with a fascination and also as if it was part alien. This was going to be an interesting case.

"We have to find any relatives, or guardians." Beckett backed up and let Castle walk out. Ryan and Esposito finally arrived and stopped at the top of the stairs. They looked around Castle at Beckett with a _the hell _look. She waved them off mouthing "Tell you later". They moved around Castle as they looked around upstairs for anything else. Castle, Beckett, and Lanie walked downstairs Castle avoiding the body, for the baby's sake.

"Car seat." Castle said absently.

"What?"

"You're car doesn't have a car seat. She needs one." He held her in one arm as he waved to her car. She looked over at Lanie and Lanie motioned for Ryan to come down. He was there instantly and Lanie told him that he had to find the car seat. He raced back up the stairs and came down in a few minutes following. He handed Castle the car seat in trade for the baby. Ryan held her at arm's length as though she had an infectious disease. Lanie set her stuff down and grabbed her.

"You can't hold her like that." The baby cooed at Lanie and in reply she gently bounced the baby just enough to make her squeal in delight. Ryan and Esposito stayed away; probably afraid they would be a bad influence on the young child. Castle was done and motioned for Lanie to bring her over. He gently strapped her into the seat and softly sang a song that wasn't ringing any bells to Beckett. She caught some of what he was singing,

"…Now hush little baby don't you cry, everything's going to be alright. Stiffen that upper lip up little lady I told ya I know mommy not here right now and we don't know why it may seem a little crazy pretty baby but I promise momma's gonna be alright…" His voice faded as the baby closed its eyes and fell instantly asleep. He turned around and the crew was looking at him. "What? Can have her in my arms while we search the house, now can we?" He walked past them and soon followed in suit. He put on some gloves and looked around the house. He was sorting through papers and notes strewn around the house. He saw a picture that caught his eye. He saw the frame was broken and the glass was cracked. "Beckett, look at this." She walked over as he pulled out the picture. It was a picture of a family. The child sat in the middle of the mother and a young looking man. The faces above them had been what looked like burned out.

"Looks like relatives' are out of the picture." He looked at her.

"Subtle."

"Thank you." She said looking at the picture closer. She turned it over in his hand and a date and name was on the bottom corner. _4/16/12 Angelica Hart._ "Mom or daughter?"

"Daughter looks like. I have pictures like these of Alexis. Minus the burned out faces. But what I don't get is why is it all beat up?"

"Maybe she was angry and threw it?" He shook his head.

"Look at the impact on the picture looks like it was," He broke off and looked around he searched the room not touching anything just looking. The pillows were shoved around the couch and the rug's corner was pulled up. "She fought maybe the parents wanted the baby, or dad wanted her back?" Beckett nodded and told one of the nearby uniforms if they could get a name to the face. They nodded and headed off. Castle was looking at all of the pictures lining the walls. Most of Angelica some of her mother. Beckett tapped his shoulder.

"Come on we should go Lanie's got this." He nodded taking off his gloves and heading to her service vehicle. Instead of his normal occupied spot in the shot gun seat he climbed into the back and checked the restraints again and watched the child from his seat next to her. "We'll get this guy Castle." Beckett was driving off.

"Not the worry, she's only about four months and already lost her mother, her father is MIA, and looks like her grandparents had bad blood with her." He looked at her through the visor mirror. She looked back. "She needs someone." He had a tone of voice that gave Beckett the notion that if they didn't find someone to look after Angelica, New York wasn't going to take too kindly to an infant. Castle looked back at the newborn and sighed. He began up his lullaby again only softer. Beckett could still hear it though. "…And if you ask me too daddy's going to buy you a mockingbird imma give you the world imma buy a diamond ring for you imma sing for you I'll do anything to see you smile. And if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine imma break that birdies neck, I'll go back to the jeweler who sold it too ya and make him eat every karat…"

"Choice song for an infant."

"Suited well. For her current situation." Beckett was going to say something, but bit her tongue afraid of the lashing she would get. "It's metaphorical."

"What song is it anyways? I don't recognize it."

"Older song, 'Mockingbird' by Eminem. I used to sing it to Alexis after hearing it when it first came out."

"Thought maybe rock-a-by-baby for the Rodger's family? Not what I expected."

"Like you strike me as the rock-a-by-baby type either detective." She shrugged turning the last corner to the twelfth.

Okay so AROCDM by Shelby = Amazingly Random Obsessive Castle Disorder Moments when Shelby goes off and while listening to music DM's me scenes she wishes she would see with that song (you can thank JBs new album for this one) The song that he is singing is bits and pieces from "Mockingbird" By Eminem from Singles (i think that's the cd) DO NOT OWN THE SONG


	2. Chapter 2

What you thought I was going to leave it at that im just getting started

Castle had a bit of a hard time holding the sleeping child and the carrier as he walked to the elevator. Beckett grabbed the carrier from him since it was less likely to throw a fit at her. The stares he got coming into the bull pen were priceless. She was lucky no one suspected her. Yet. Ryan and Esposito were there already and were looking into anyone that has legal custody or next of kin for the infant. Nothing came up.

"Anything on the boyfriend?" They both shook their head. Still staring at the child as though it might turn into something that could eat both of them. Alive. They kept their distance. The only two people who actually could connect with the child were Castle and Lanie. Lanie a surprise because she wasn't ever really the one to get along with kids. They would switch taking care of Angelica. Castle had to leave for a minute and he dumped the child in Beckett's arms.

"What do I do?" She called after him. She looked at the child and its eyes grew wide and smiled at her with few to no teeth. She slowly pulled the kid close and cradled it in her arms. She sat down and waved her fingers in her face. Careful not to upset her. Angelica reached up and babbled at her fingers. She eventually grabbed hold of one of Beckett's fingers and tried her best to bite it. The most she was doing was drooling all over her hand. Beckett laughed and tickled the child lightly and she squealed in delight. Making echo's through the room. Beckett looked up and saw Castle had returned. He was leaning on the entry way jamb and had a look on his face. She smirked and pushed her hair behind her ear then realized it was covered in baby drool. She looked around her desk for a napkin and best she got was her pants. She found a lone tissue and wiped the side of her face. "I think she missed you." She said it as to Castle to take her, but kept Angelica close to her chest. He came up to her and sat in his chair. He watched her as the baby grabbed at Beckett's shirt and pulling at the buttons on her shirt. She gasped as she managed to get a button loose and Angelica gave a laugh. Beckett buttoned her shirt back up.

"Looks like she's hungry." Castle got up and went to the break room to get some of the milk they kept handy. Ryan and Esposito still had that look on their faces.

"Hey you two, be useful." She called over, but there was no real threat in her voice. Castle came back and didn't have a baby bottle, but something more impressing. He had a glass with a glove strapped to the top and the thumb had a small hole in it.

"Best I could do." He handed it to her and she juggled the infant, so she could feed her. Lanie came by for her watch and stopped dead.

"Didn't expect you to do so well with her." Beckett looked up.

"Neither did I." The child had already almost finished the whole thing before Castle gently pried it from her tiny hands.

"Not too much, or you are going to have to change your shirt." Beckett got a look in her eye and quickly handed the baby over to Castle.

"Drool I'm okay with, no baby barf." Castle didn't argue he just took her and stood up.

"Hey where is she going to stay?" The question had been on Beckett's mind as well. They all looked at each other. Ryan and Esposito looked like they were going to bolt if they were told to take care of her.

"We could…" Beckett trailed off as the suggestion hit her mouth.

"This isn't a dog we can just trade off. She needs somewhere to stay." Castle had that defensive look in his eye again and Beckett was scared if she said the wrong thing someone was going to get hurt.

"We can ask Gates if there is anywhere she can stay." Beckett was already on her feet walking towards the closed door. She knocked and without looking up from her papers she waved them in. Castle followed with Lanie trailing behind.

"Sir, we were all wondering where Angelica is going to stay while we figure out who her guardians are." Gates looked up with her glasses on her nose and gave a thin lipped smile.

"Looks like you all have that figured out." The statement was said with a force that meant no arguments. Castle gently swayed and looked at Gates. Gates just returned back to work and waved her hand for dismissal. They all filed out of the confining room and Ryan and Esposito were whispering to each other. Lanie gave a piercing gaze and headed back to the morgue. Castle was going to ask her something, but seeing her face he clamped his mouth shut.

"I'll talk to her later." Beckett felt more comfortable around the baby and decided she was going to make sure she found this monster. No one should suffer this. "Ryan, Espo anything?"

"Well something came up. The mother." He looked down. "Roxy Hart, she had a hair appointment today, but cancelled just before."

"Where?"

"Broadway and 63rd." She nodded Castle looked at her and gave a brisk nod. Beckett waited until he came back from the morgue to head out.

"Lanie is not a happy camper right now. But a baby's face can calm most any temper." They rode down the elevator in silence.

Im sorry if I get these streets wrong I don't live in NYC but from reading I have made sure to list quite a few intersecting streets please correct me if I'm wrong I want to get this right


	3. Chapter 3

Castle and Beckett found the hair salon with ease. It was the only one on the street. They walked in an instantly wished they sent Ryan and Esposito instead. The room was full of gossip queens. People with nothing better to do than sit around and gab. It also felt like they went back in time to the 60's. Every TV in the salon was on, but no one was paying any attention. Girls were looking at Castle like he was some sort of wounded animal, and they were all lions. The smell instantly hit them. Hair spray, chemicals from various appliances, and steam from hair rising off every woman's head. Castle looked around cautiously. Beckett made a conscious awareness to every girl as they walked by looking for the one who was supposed to do Roxy's hair that day. A few of them grabbed at Castle with manicured hands and when he kept walking she could feel their stares piercing her back like lasers. She wanted to get out now. This was one of the reason's she never went to salons. They were too, frou-frou. Too girlish for the weathered detective. The soon found the stylist, not hard to spot being the owner and all.

"Ms. Swan, I am detective – "She was cut off by a cloud of hair spray.

"Can't you see I'm busy here? I got to do this A line in twenty then get this girl's roots some TLC." She blew a bubble and cracked the gum so loud she was sure she couldn't hear straight.

"I need to talk to you about Roxy Hart."

"Yea so, she cancelled, I got bigger problems." Her accent was letting go. Something of Latin decent. The way she rolled her tongue on _r_'s made Castle think of Sophia Vergara.

"Well she's dead." The whole room stopped. Even the TV seemed to be put on mute. Everyone's stare felt like they were burning holes in Beckett.

"Oh my god, Roxy's dead?" Even the customers seemed genuinely upset. "No Roxy's not dead, she can't be. Roxy!" Ms. Swan screamed and it felt like all the windows would break then and there.

"May we speak to you now?" Beckett said with a tone that was smoother than honey. She didn't want to be fierce afraid she would go do something crazy. She had tears over flow her eyes and everyone slowly began working again the sudden change in atmosphere was deafening. She flicked her wrist and a replacement was helping the now frozen customer. She led them to a room in the back, an office of some sort. She had silent tears streaking her face.

"What happened to her?" Her voice broken and hardly understandable.

"She was killed in her home." There was a choking sound from in front of them and the room seemed to close in.

"How's Angelica? Her baby, she loved that baby more than life. She made sure that baby was happy even if Roxy wasn't herself. She did anything for that child."

"She's with us. We have her in custody until we find someone to take care of her. When you talked to Roxy did she sound scared or distraught?" She nodded her head vigorously.

"She didn't explain why she cancelled she just said 'don't worry about me, just make sure you don't call the cops'." Beckett wrote it down quickly.

"How did you know Roxy? From what I see she wasn't just another customer."

"She was a friend. I knew her since we were in diapers. She also got me on my feet with this company. She wasn't the wealthiest person, but if she thought you needed help she would take baby steps with you no matter what it did to her. Maybe that's why she was killed?" She said the last question with a tone that would have made even the toughest of people cry.

"Can you tell me if she had anyone she had problems with or any enemies recently?" She was about to shake her head no when she thought about it for a moment.

"Yea come to think of it she was skittish recently. Normally people would come up and say hi to her baby and she would welcome them and everything then around a week ago you couldn't go near her without being yelled at or being shoved at. I asked her about it and she said not to worry, but me being an old friend I wanted to make sure she was okay. I stayed with her a few nights because I could tell she wasn't getting sleep so I watched her baby while she slept and a man came to her house claiming that she had taken money from him and he wanted his kid back. I fought that guy off, but I could tell her wasn't going down without a fight. He came by every other day and so I moved her to my place and she just recently came back to her house, just for a little bit." She choked out cries on the last part and they knew that was it.

"Would you mind coming down to the station and tell our sketch artist what this man looked like?" She shook her head as though it would fall off.

"Anything to help, I want this sonovabitch hunted down and pays for what he did to her and left that baby all alone." She had the same fire in her eyes that Castle did when she spoke to him only earlier. They helped her up and she left a few notes for the replacement that had helped her customer and heard whispering from around catching bits and pieces.

"…we have to help…"

"…what if we get hurt too…"

"…Roxy and Angelica don't deserve this…" It sounded like they would start a riot or a mob to hunt this guy down. Roxy really helped a lot of people. When Ms. Swan was done they helped her to the car. She was still silently crying, but the fight in her eyes had intensified and it looked like if they let her go she would find this guy before them, if so he wouldn't stand a chance.


	4. Chapter 4

Ms. Swan had calmed down enough to talk to the sketch artist. He kept looking over at Beckett for interpretation when her accent masked what she was trying to say. When she was done they thanked her. She asked to see Angelica and they slowly nodded she could, it was Castle's watch anyways. He left and came back with her and Ms. Swan almost started crying again.

"She's okay." She looked over at them and Beckett nodded. She gently grabbed the baby from Castle and began speaking to her in a language neither of them recognized. "Did she see?"

"We don't know. She was upstairs." Ms. Swan nodded and handed her back. She said thank you and grabbed a cab back to work. They walked back to the bull pen."Hey Espo here's the sketch." She said as she put it up. Ryan was nowhere to be seen. Esposito nodded coming over to look. Making sure to keep a distance from Castle.

"Doesn't look like anyone from any of the pictures in her home."

"I still want to know who that man was next to her."

"Brother."

"Boyfriend." They both shot out at the same time.

"No family and who Ms. Swan saw was not who is in that picture."

"We'll keep a copy of his picture with us." Ryan said behind them making Beckett jump a little. She nodded,

"Good." Beckett looked over at Castle and the windows and saw the time was flying by. Castle looked tired and his arms were almost stuck in position. She held her hands out to him and sighing he passed Angelica on. She was half asleep and Beckett held her head gently. Running her fingers down the fragile child's face."You should go home get some rest."

"No chance." She gave him a look.

"It's okay." She touched his arm slightly with her free hand.

"Not until I know she's safe." He caught himself and she was still touching his arm.

"I know what you meant. I can see your concern. You're thinking of Alexis aren't you?" He nodded.

"Brings back memories of late nights, shorter work hours, and Martha's cooking." He smirked at the last part.

"Go home; I'll call you if I need help." He stood for a long minute. Just staring at her. His gaze reading her as if she were a glass window. She didn't normally like it when suspects used it with her, but when he did it she felt safe. He finally nodded and grabbed his stuff. Before leaving he gently grabbed the little girl's hand with his finger and whispered good bye.

Castle got home and Martha turned around to look at him from her position on the couch. "Hello darling." He waved two fingers at her and set his stuff down. He had his cell phone in his pocket and made sure it never left. "Why so tired? Richard, you should really take a break from chasing after criminals."

"No it's not that, the vic had a small child. No one to look after," He yawned. "To look after her." Martha got up.

"Is the baby okay?" He nodded.

"Yea she's fine." He yawned again.

"How old?"

"Four months." Martha looked around at the ground.

"What has this world come too? Who is watching her?"

"We trade off, Beckett has first watch. She said she'd call if she needed anything? Where's Alexis?"

"Friends. And you did say Beckett was watching first?" He nodded. "She never threw me for someone to handle small children."

"No, but she does, very well in fact." He set his elbows on the counter and put his head in his hands. His eyes closed. Martha sighed into a smile.

"I'm glad to hear." Martha patted her son's upper arm and walked away. He opened his eyes slowly and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He put it on full blast and set it on the counter. He sat down on one of the chairs and laid his head on his folded arms. He closed his eyes. He heard a faint ringing and woke up. Beckett was calling. He picked up the phone instantly.

"Yea." He said drowsy.

"I…I need your help…" She stumbled over the words like she was afraid he would say no.

"Sure. Your place?" He asked as he looked at the time.

"Yea."

"Be there in ten." He waited until she hung up until he grabbed some stuff he knew he needed and began to head to her apartment. He finally made it to her door and knocked. There was faint crying from behind the door and Beckett let him in.

"I can't get her to sleep." He smirked and she showed him where she was. He saw her make shift crib.

"Impressive." He walked over to her and picked her up. He set his bag down and looked at her. He held her and Beckett sat in the doorway. He hummed and the child was less fitful.

"What does every human being see in you?"

"Natural charm." She walked up behind him and looked over his shoulder.

"What's in the bag?"

"Stuff that we will need."

"What?"

"Pacifiers, bottles, wipes, things like that."

"And you still had all of this stuff?"

"Most of it, the bottles and pacifiers yes, the wipes and diapers I just bought."

"Aren't you supposed to boil the pacifiers before reusing them?"

"Alexis is fine." He turned around. "So is she." She had one in her mouth already and was almost asleep again. "Besides a little use never killed anyone."

"Seriously, you and every human being. What's the deal?" He shrugged gently and walked out of her only room and into the living room. He sat down on the couch. She sat down next to him. "Could I offer you some wine, maybe something to eat?" She said full of sarcasm.

"I'll take some wine if you got any." He said as if he hadn't heard heard sarcasm and looked over at her with a grin.

"Har har very funny. Glad to know your sense of humor hadn't vanished."

"Never."

"That's what I was afraid of."

"So where do you think she'll go if they don't find someone to take care of her?" He asked, his eyes clouding over with sadness.

"Orphanage comes to mind, but you've seen what happens to those kids who go to those. She needs someone there for her at all times."

"Yea they don't turn out to be model citizens." He hummed and looked back at Angelica who had woken up and was watching them with innocent eyes. She reached up at Beckett and made the gimme signals with her hands. Beckett gently plucked her from Castle's arms and he rests his arm on the side of the couch. Beckett crossed her legs and set Angelica on the knee that was slightly elevated. She carefully bobbed her knee up and down and the baby giggled. He rests his head in his hand and turned so he was looking at them. Every once in a while she would bump the baby slightly higher and she would scream in delight. She was holding the baby's hand's with her fingers to make sure she wouldn't drop her and she rubbed the top of the baby's hands with her thumbs. The baby dropped the pacifier on one of the screams and Castle dove for it, catching it before it hit the ground. Angelica had a face for a second then as soon as he popped it back in her mouth she was happy again.

"Did you bring anything for her to sleep with?" He blinked once then slowly shook his head.

"No sorry, I didn't have any of that left." Beckett handed over the child and got up to her room. She was gone for about fifteen minutes with the occasional sound of something moving until she came back with something in her hands. It was a very old toy something that had shown it was old by the slight dirt spots here and there. It was a little Beanie Baby fox plush toy. The baby saw it when she came up and handed it to her. Angelica grabbed and clung to it. Beckett smiled and sat down next to him. The space between them, more like the lack of space, between them no longer felt a need to be noticed. The baby was blowing bubbles and she threw her hands in the hair sending the toy flying. She pulled her hands back and saw it wasn't there and that face returned a contorted look. Beckett held up a finger as the first signs of crying appeared on her face. She grabbed the little fox and the baby instantly cheered up. She loved how they seemed to do that flawlessly. She went to look over at Castle and saw he was asleep in the same position that he was in minutes ago. She resisted the urge to kiss his forehead. She gently picked up the baby on her hip and tossed a blanket on him. She walked away holding the baby and holding the little fox in front of its face. Playing with the child until she too felt exhausted, she set Angelica who was half asleep, in the make shift crib and she crawled into bed herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Beckett awoke to the sound of things being moved in her kitchen. She shot up and looked at the makeshift crib. Angelica wasn't there. She had to calm herself before she realized that Castle had fallen asleep on her couch. He must have come in to take care of Angelica. She came out of her room into the kitchen. Castle had his back to her so she slipped onto one of the stools. She saw that Angelica was securely placed on the stool next to her. She was playing with the plush toy and seemed to enjoy her current location. Castle spun around and saw Beckett and jumped a little bit.

"How long have you been there?"

"Not long." She sighed with a smirk. His face slipped as he looked at her then gained his composure again and smirked back.

"Too bad I always thought you might sleep in the nude."

"Dream on writer boy."

"I plan on it." He sighed looking somewhere behind her. She stood up to try and helping him out. He shooed her out and back on the stool. "I can't have distractions while I cook. There might be an injury."

"The only injury here would be to your pride." Angelica giggled and screamed watching the fox contort itself as she held onto the feet and flipped it around and around."She agrees." Beckett saw the look on his face and waved her hand to dismiss the comment and proceed as she turned to gently grab the fox and make it dance in front of Angelica. Castle half closed his eyes and turned back around. The smells of cooking soon filled the room. Beckett was speaking to Angelica. "So you think Uncle Castle could come by and cook every day?" The baby cooed in response. "That's what I thought too." Angelica waved her hands in front of her and smiled. Even without teeth it suited her well. Castle set a plate in front of Beckett and she admired it before she began to eat. Castle also gave Angelica her bottle and both of them were silent, except for the occasional spills from Angelica.

"So is it good?"

"I'm not speaking am I?"

"No."

"Because I'm trying to eat all of it."

"Oh." He looked at the counter and wiped off imaginary crumbs. She finally looked up and saw that he had butter or what not on his face and she tried to motion for him to wipe it off, but he just wasn't getting it. She set her fork down and wiped it away with her thumb.

"How is it, that the one that is eating can wear less than the one that cooked?" She looked over at Angelica. "She's even cleaner than you are." Angelica finished off the bottle and looked around not really sure what's going on. Castle shrugged and grabbed the empty bottle from her and filled it half way giving it back to her. Beckett finished and got up. She put her dishes in the sink and began to clean them. Castle's turn to sit on the chair. He leaned over to Angelica and quietly spoke looking at Beckett.

"Do you think Auntie Beckett should wear those shorts every day?" Angelica babbled around the bottle. "Looks like you're out voted here." She gave a small look over her shoulder and shrugged.

"Don't think Gates would be too happy seeing me every day in hardly legal shorts."

"Hardly." He rolled his eyes. "Those weren't legal when they did fit."

"Really maybe I should go put something else on."

"No I wasn't saying it in a bad way. You look good, it's ok no need to change." He said hastily.

"Good I didn't feel like it anyways." She turned back to the sink and he admired his view while she was cleaning. She finally turned around and he looked up just in time. She put her hand on her hip. "I saw that."

"Saw what?" He asked innocently. Angelica was reaching for the bottle next to her. Her arms just slightly out of range. Beckett pushed it forwards and Angelica latched onto it.

"Come on. I still have to go to work and I don't want Lanie thinking something's up, oh Lanie I forgot to talk to her now she knows something's up." She pulled at his arm and he got up.

"I doubt she would." He looked at her and they both laughed. "Yea she will." He grabbed his stuff as he was being corralled to the door. She got him to the door, he turned around and she had to endure not reaching up on her tippy toes to kiss him. He must have sensed it, for he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Just a little secret between us." He smirked and walked out. She hadn't realized that she wasn't breathing until she felt little light headed. She went back to her kitchen and picked up Angelica. She twirled her around a bit and smirked. She was whispering to Angelica as she walked into her room to get ready.

"With him like, it's hard excruciatingly hard. If you ever meet someone that will stand next to you for four years don't let them go. Never let them go. Never push them away, it only makes things worse." She thought to herself as she closed the door behind her. "Don't be foolish. Like me." Angelica was gazing at her with wide eyes. As if she understood everything she was saying. Beckett smirked and set Angelica on her bed and hurriedly got ready.


	6. Chapter 6

Castle got home and Martha looked like she was in hysterics. "Oh, thank god you're home."

"I was," He paused choosing what he said next wisely. "I'm fine." She gave him as look as she hugged him. She let him go and proceeded to walk towards the kitchen. Alexis came running down the stairs and stopped in front of him.

"I heard you were taking care of a baby." She said her hair expressing her excitement. Her hands were by her face in tight fists and her eyes were full of wonder.

"You can say that."

"Aw what's her name? Why are you taking care of her? Where is she? Can she come here sometime?" He was bombarded and started with the first one.

"Angelica, her mom was the one who was murdered, at Beckett's, and I don't know." Alexis's eyes only got bigger.

"Awww such a beautiful name, and that's so sad, did she volunteer, I hope she can." She practically bounced towards the kitchen. Martha put a hand on her shoulder and that simple touch seemed to calm her down. She spoke to Alexis softly.

"Just wait they are not all rolly polly cute you think they are. Just look at your father." They both snickered and he waved it off.

"Ha Ha." He said with no real humor.

"Cheer up darling, it was a joke. Where was the snide remark, the quickness with words? Who are you, and what have you done with my Richard?"

"I'm just a little worn out that's all." Both Martha and Alexis looked at each other. He shook his head."From Angelica. Not – is that all you two think about?" They nodded in sequence.

"You did say you came from Beckett's." Alexis said putting holding her head with fists planted on the counter.

"You heard that? You were in your room."

"Ninja ears." She said pulling them so they could be seen.

"Uh hu. Okay. You two need a life."

"Why when we can meddle in yours." Martha said 'meddle' with a dangle of fingers in front of her. Like some mad scientist laughing manically at its own creation.

"I am going to go get ready now and head back out. Knowing Beckett she might have already given Angelica to Lanie so soon in the morning. Bad mix." He waved to them behind his head and walked to his room.

Beckett showed up at the precinct and walked to her desk with Angelica on one arm and a bag on the other. Esposito and Ryan both gave her a look of _how do you do that_. She set the bag Castle had left on her desk and looked over at the murder board and then at Ryan and Esposito. "Anything new?" Ryan stood up and walked over to her.

"Well we found out that she had just recently talked on the phone before she died. She called a Mr. Hart." Ryan looked pleased with himself as he said it.

"Dad?" He nodded. "Where is he?"

"Brooklyn." She nodded and jerked her chin to both of them. Esposito got up and Ryan twitched his fingers behind him to motion to Esposito that they could go. As they were leaving Lanie came up and the steps and stormed into the bullpen. Ryan and Esposito just barely managed to dodge her as they were leaving.

"Lanie, you okay?" Lanie stood next to her tapping her foot.

"Yea, I just want to catch this bastard. Or whoever the hell did this." By the description she was using in her speech Beckett knew she really did. Beckett handed her Angelica and that seemed to calm her down. About ten notches.

"Feel better?"

"Mostly, how are you dealing?" She shrugged her shoulders and put her hands on her desk leaning back.

"I didn't think I could do this. But it looks like I can take care of her." She looked over at Lanie.

"Yea I know whatcha mean." She hummed a sigh and looked down. "Who gave you supplies?"

"Castle."

"Oh and how is it you seemed to have acquired these?"

"I called him because I couldn't get little one to fall asleep." She said without any real emotion. Not wanting to reveal anything.

"Uh hu." She said looking Beckett up and down.

"Truth." She leaned forwards so she wouldn't put too much strain on one hand as she waved her free hand. Lanie looked over quickly as she heard the ding of the elevator. She nudged Beckett's arm and mouthed _we'll talk later_. Beckett was mouthed _no we won't_ back, but Lanie was already walking down the stairs Angelica in her arms. Castle walked up to her with her coffee and she took it. "Thanks." She smirked and held the cup with both hands.

"Where are Ryan and Esposito?"

"Heading to Brooklyn." He nodded and looked at the murder board again. Beckett set her coffee down and added the phone call to the timeline. Castle took a sip of his coffee. Beckett capped the pen and stood back.

"Was Ms. Hart's phone on her when she died?" Beckett walked to her desk and looked through some papers until she found it.

"No put found near the body. Should be in an evidence locker."

"Can we get it?" She nodded and called down and they would have it there in five.

"Be here soon." He nodded and looked at the murder board again.

"Did they get a hit on Stalky Stalker over here?" He motioned his coffee hand to the sketch.

"Not yet, but if we don't have a name it's harder."

"Maybe Mr. Hart will know."

"Let's hope." She sat in her chair and leaned back. She looked at the stacks of paper on her desk and decided to get some of that done while she was waiting for Ryan and Espo to come back. Castle looked at her and took another sip of his coffee, she looked up. "What?" He shook his head and looked over at the murder board again. Her phone rang and she picked it up. "Beckett." It was Ryan.

"Yea Mr. Hart and Mrs. Hart aren't home." There was a rustling noise in the background. "Looks like they skipped town. Yesterday. Around 8:30." Beckett nodded then replied.

"Sounds like someone's guilty."

"Yes and very, very afraid they didn't take anything they just left. As though they just went out to dinner or something."

"Anything else Ryan?" She asked. "Any plane tickets or anything just lying around?"

"No but we got the next best thing. I got into their laptop and the first thing that popped up on their history, the website in which they bought their hotels."

"And this would be?"

"L.A. if they were planning on running that would be the place to go."

"Are they there now?" Sounds of clicking from the other line.

"No they were delayed in Oklahoma City due to ice storms." This soon into fall well I've heard stranger things.

"Thanks Ryan." There was a bye from the other side of the line and she hung up. She looked over at Castle and explained to him the conversation. He nodded and drank some more of his coffee. When she was finished talking she did the same.

"Think they did it?"

"Maybe, any one could have done it." She sighed and felt suddenly sick. What kind of parent's would kill their own daughter, frame it as robbery gone wrong, and leave their grandchild to be taken to an orphanage? Why some people do what they do baffles her still. She looked and saw Castle was talking to her. "What?"

"Did you hear anything I just said?" She shook her head. "I said what is the motive for this robber, if a thief did do this, to come into a house murder a single mom and leave? Seems unlikely."

"I've heard people kill for far less."


	7. Chapter 7

Ms. Hart's phone was up in exactly five minutes. Castle was impressed. Beckett not so much. She took the phone out of the bag and looked at it. "What is is you wanted?" He held his hand out and she gave it to him. He pressed a few buttons and smirked. He showed her the phone and she grabbed it from him. "Why didn't I see that?" He shrugged.

"So two of these are from her dad and one from an unknown number. Maybe I can get one of the uniforms to run it." She flagged one down and explained what she needed and they nodded and left. Ryan and Esposito came back and they had boxes of stuff from their house. Beckett quickly called Lanie to get info on the murder weapon.

".45 hydroshock. And from what I can tell killer wasn't the best shot."

"Why?"

"At point blank should have hit his target; he shot through the hardest part of the skull instead. That means, she moved or he has shaky hands."

"Like hesitation."

"Bingo, get the girl a prize." There was clapping in the background and a giggle. Lanie covered the phone with her hand and shushed Angelica so she wouldn't create a distraction. Lanie laughed slightly.

"Lanie I am still on the phone."

"Indeed you are." She sighed. "Is that all?"

"That's up to you."

"Then yes that is all." She disconnected. Beckett looked at the phone and shrugged.

"What was it?"

".45 Hydroshock."

"In like a bb out like a potato." He smirked.

"When'd you get so smart?" She said with a cheesy grin. He gave one right back. Ryan dropped a box in between them and motioned to it.

"We might be here a while." He walked back to his seat and both of them were searching through their own boxes. Castle looked and saw all of the boxes. He was right. Castle started looking through and saw nothing until,

"Hey." He held up something. They all looked up. "Good taste in reading." He held up _Heat Wave_.

"We're looking for a gun, or anything that might help us." Beckett said though she was quite surprised that such a wealthy man had, well fiction books. He put it down and riffled through the rest of the box. Castle picked up the one they were both looking through and set it down in a separate area from the rest of the unsearched boxes. He picked up a new unsearched box and headed over. She began searching through it as he set it down. He opened the other side of wings and searched through. Esposito finished and dropped off the box in the searched section and headed over to get a new one.

"Hey I think I got something." Ryan piped up sticking his head out of the box. "Looks like copies of registration papers for a gun." Beckett popped her head up.

"Hydroshock?" He scanned the paper.

"No sorry." They all went back to working. A few small connections here and there, but nothing that would tie the case to a close. They got to the last few boxes that were on the floor and Beckett always made Castle get them. She and Lanie would both say it was a good call on her part. It was late by the time they had all finished. Nothing out of the hundreds of boxes, ok no hundreds but a lot, they had found nothing that would tie them to the crime. Castle sighed and slouched in his chair.

"That is probably the most lifting I have done in months."

"Come on Castle I always imagined you were one of those guys who had a six pack that mysteriously had always been there and was hidden under all those clothes."

"Sadly no. I wish I was one of those guys, but I'm not. What about you, the always fit detective Beckett." He sat up and poked her midsection.

"Hey." She jumped more than she should have.

"Ticklish are we?"

"No." She said a little too quickly. She wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Uh hu." He said unconvinced. Lanie walked up at that moment. He looked back and frowned. "Don't think you were saved by the bell." Lanie looked over at both of them and had Angelica in her arms. Angelica was giggling and clapping her hands. "What have you been feeding her?" He looked back.

"Little bit of this and that, got a problem?"

"No no she looks great." He took her from her arms and smirked. Angelica looked up and looked as though she was captivated by him.

"Looks like you have all been pretty busy."

"Yea just a little bit." Beckett looked at her watch. "I'm surprised that you're still here." Lanie gave her a look. "Just saying."

"Uh hu, I was just coming up to see if you were still here. I can't take her home with me. I have relatives over and wouldn't it be great to surprise them with a mysterious child." Beckett nodded.

"It's okay it's Castle's turn anyways." She looked over at him quickly then looked back. Lanie half closed her eyes and waved goodbye as she walked away. Ryan and Esposito looked at Beckett. "If there isn't anything else." They looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Nope." They both said in almost sequence. She waved her hand off and they headed out. Castle had grabbed his bag and threw it on his shoulder.

"Hey wanna get a drink?" She asked motioning somewhere behind her.

"Is the Old Haunt really a place to take a four month year old?"

"Your place then." She said with a grin. He smirked back.

"Sure." Castle repositioned Angelica in his arms and then looked up at her. She was looking at Angelica and he jerked his head towards the elevator which she was gladly obliging to. She pressed the down button and the doors opened right away. Angelica was looking at the light with such a fascination her eyes lit up and reached out to try and grab it. Beckett smiled down at her and poked her nose. Angelica made a gasping motion, but no noise came out.

"You know I never imagined myself being one to do well with kids, well ones that couldn't talk."

"I would have thought you were a natural." He said in a soft tone that warmed her in a little more than just her heart.


	8. Chapter 8

Castle and Beckett eventually arrived at Castle's loft to find that no one was home. Yet anyways. So after finding a quick makeshift crib for Angelica he came back and walked to his fridge pulling out two Blue Moons.

"Do you ever run out of drinks?"

"Not when I live with my mother." She smiled and popped the top with the bottle opener he had handed her. She turned around in the stool and took a sip. He came over and sat next to her and took a swig of his own rocky mountain cold beer. As soon as he set his beer on the counter a loud thud sounded from above and a chorus of giggles. Beckett looked at him.

"So how many is this?" He gave her a look and walked to the top of the stairs.

"Alexis? Mother?" The giggling stopped and footsteps came from above Beckett. He looked over at her and mouthed to three. "I brought Angelica." He called up and barely finished before he was bombarded by Martha and Alexis.

"Where is she?"

"Can we go see her?" They were firing off questions faster than he could interpret them.

"First of all what were you doing in there?"

"We were playing twister with a suitcase." Alexis chuckled. He sighed and decided he should just point them in the direction of where they should go. They waved their hello's as they passed the grinning detective.

"Guess you were right." Beckett looked over at him as he sighed.

"When am I not?" She took a sip as she heard the soft talk of Alexis and Martha. He grabbed his and grabbed a coaster. He set his on one and hers on another. They came out again Martha holding Angelica and smiling. Alexis's smile couldn't have gotten wider.

"She is the cutest thing in the world." Alexis had grabbed the bag and set it within reach. "It's good to see you too Detective." Martha nodded in her direction.

"Always nice to see a friendly face after work." She smirked.

"You know Richard was just talkin – "Castle cut her off.

"No need to ruin her day." Martha gave him a look and walked off.

"We'll be upstairs." Alexis gave a look to Martha that suggested she had no idea what she was talking about. Martha shooed her up the stairs. Angelica amazed by all the new faces reaching out at Alexis and Martha's bright colored hair. Beckett looked over at him.

"You were talking about me?" He had a sheepish look.

"No - I mean you know how they can be. Them and their imaginations. They probably imagined that I was talking about you and – it doesn't really matter." He tried to get out.

"For someone who works with words, he sure stumbles when it counts." He sighed.

"I've heard that before." She slowly blinked in his direction trying to think of who could have said it to him. Besides herself of course. He looked at her and got up like the chair was it had suddenly come ablaze. He walked over to the other side of the counter. "You haven't eaten yet, have you?" He knew the answer already given the way he phrased it. She shook her head and he lit up. He began moving around the kitchen in a storm. Chopping here, tasting there, a little bit of everything everywhere he went. She hadn't realized she finished her drink until he placed another one in front and took away the empty. It was hard keeping an eye on him so she decided to watch what he was making instead. It wasn't a recipe she could think of right away, but whatever is it was smelled great. The sound of walking came up behind her and chattering like birds ensued. Four plates were set out one in front of each of the now talking occupant.

"So Beckett, Richard has told us much about you dealing with Angelica, but we haven't heard your side."Martha prodded.

"Oh," She took another sip knowing she might need it. "It's new. I hadn't expected her to be so corporative. Most of the time you see little kids on TV throwing tantrums, or screaming constantly, but she is a sweetheart really." Martha and Alexis smirked a bit without looking at each other. She was going to ask them what was so funny when Castle came over.

"Dinner's done." He looked at the time. "Well a later dinner." She nodded a silent thanks. Then she looked at what he had made.

"What is this?" She said in amazement. It looked like it belonged in a Martha Stewart magazine. She almost didn't want to eat it. Almost.

"Oh, just shrimp caprese. It was an easy make." Martha and Alexis were already eating, clearly used to the Martha Stewart cooking. Beckett took a bite and instantly wished she could live off of this forever. The pasta and the shrimp complemented each other so well it was hard to tell when one ended and the other began.

"Can I just hire you to cook at my place all the time?" She said when she could finally speak.

"Sorry I've been claimed." He motioned to the two already almost done. Martha and Alexis were speaking to each other in hushed voices. Beckett slightly jerked her chin in their direction. He shrugged. "I don't even know." Martha and Alexis both finished and stuck their dishes in the sink. Alexis shouted something about her cleaning them later as she walked up the stairs. She eventually finished her dinner and he took her dishes.

"What if I wanted to lick the plate?"

"You lucked out then." He smirked. She gave him a look then straightened in her chair.

"How is it that you can cook so well when you have a mother like Martha?"

"I used to watch the cooking channels as a kid. My mother was the one who watched them and wished she could cook like they can." He shrugged and went to give her another drink when she shook her head.

"Do you want me drunk?"

"You never struck me as a lightweight."

"You'd be surprised."

"Would I?" She turned her head slightly up.

"No but I'm glad you think I could use a drink."

"I see what you go through every day. I can only imagine how that affects your mental health."

"Oh, it does enough." She smirked. "I take a tall water, shaken not stir. On the rocks." He grabbed her a glass of water with some ice. "Not as fancy as I imagined it to be." She taunted.

"I have nothing to work with, just water and frozen water."

"Excuses." She took a sip. "Didn't even get a pink umbrella." He blew off her comment.

"Just drink your water." He waved his hand in the direction of the now sweating glass.


	9. Chapter 9

It was a well after 12 when Beckett looked back at the clock. Time flew by and she sighed. Why were there only twenty four hours in a day? And why couldn't she spend more of them with him? He saw the look on her face and looked at the time. She had work in the morning. Well so did he, but he didn't have to be in at a specified time. As much as she had to go he wished she could stay forever. He knew that wouldn't happen. She wouldn't let it. She stood up and he shifted his weight to the other foot. "I should probably head home." She said it so it sounded more of a question then a statement. He gave a small smirk and walked with her to his door. She turned around at his door as he opened it. "Thank you. For everything. I think the dinner was excessive." She said with twitch of the corner of her mouth.

"Always." She hadn't realized she was looking down until he said it. She had only fingertips on the door handle. She looked up at him and smirked seeing a look in his eye she hadn't seen before. She didn't have her heels on so she had to stand on her tippy toes to just to meet his eyes. She balanced on the ball of her foot and smirked at him. She ever so slightly brushed her lips to his and it sent a shiver down her own spine. She stepped back down smiling.

"Just so we can even that up." She grabbed the door handle and walked out smiling at the ground as she turned away. She shut the door as quietly as she could. She stayed in front of the door looking at the ground condensing her smile to a smirk. She couldn't believe she just did that. How could she just act unlike herself? He was still staring at the spot where she stood. He put his hand on the door knob. He wasn't going to let her slip away like when they were in Los Angeles. He opened the door and she was still standing there. She turned around at the feeling of the door opening and looked at him.

"I would feel better if someone was at least in debt of the other." He had a tight grip on the doorknob; thinking that if he let go she would leave him there with nothing but his own words hanging in the air. She slowly blinked; almost afraid to, that as if when she closed her eyes he wouldn't actually be there, standing in front of her. She managed a smirk and he gently reached a knuckle from his free hand to her chin tilting it upward to face him. She didn't need any more leg twisting; she reached up on her tippy toes again and braced her lips with his. Lightly as though if either of them pushed too hard the world would fall around them and the ground would split between them and they would be lost from each other forever. His knuckle never moved from the spot on her chin. They both tasted of hops, him a little more than she. Beckett's hand felt as though they had a mind or their own. More like a mind they hadn't been able to use in a long time. They broke apart briefly for air. He looked around briefly. Mainly at the stairs.

"They are asleep."

"Ninja ears." She smiled at him, although she didn't catch on, as he pantomimed what Alexis had done previously. She kissed him again to shut him up because the look on his face suggested he was going to continue. It was sweet. A kiss full of emotion. The love for each other wrapped into one kiss. He pulled her closer and she held her hand to his chest. she pushed him back.

"No. We can't." He had his hand on her back still. He wanted to whine and stomp his feet in protest, but he didn't think that would get him anywhere. He only closed his eyes briefly and let out a sigh.

"Okay." He let her go regretfully and she grabbed for his hand squeezing it tightly. She turned around and walked to the elevator. He watched her until she walked in. She gave a sad smile as the doors closed and he hit the door jamb with his fist. So close. He shut the door and quiet footsteps came down the stairs. Martha stood in sleep worn clothes and bed head.

"What the hell was that?" She said lifting her eye shield over her head. The eyes appearing over her head gave a weird look to her purple rode. He shook his head as he clenched his fist. The door jamb wasn't a smart idea. Martha strode down to him. "That was not nothing, tell me."

"I can't." He said frustrated.

"Why because I'm your mother? Richard..." She trailed off seeing the pained look on his face. "Her wall is coming down. More now then ever." She patted the side of his face and walked back up the stairs. Castle sighed and cleaned up the kitchen. He threw the glasses away and headed to bed. Dealing with that detective was like working with a stone wall sometimes. But Martha was right. It's almost gone. But like when they were stuck with that tiger and they had to tear down the wall between them and the man eating mammal, they were both afraid of what would come from the other side of that wall once it was completely down.


End file.
